Comments on: RIP Justice Robert Chambershttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html
DPF's Kiwiblog - Fomenting Happy Mischief since 2003Sat, 10 Dec 2016 03:05:33 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7By: Louisehttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146549
Thu, 23 May 2013 03:21:03 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146549Robert Stanley Chambers was a good servant of the establishment and statute law. Described as one of New Zealand’s greatest legal brains, a way with words! People relied on Chamber J to deliver judgements based on facts but his subjective thinking clouded his judgement causing pain and suffering to people who relied on objective thinking – which he did not have.

Justice Mahon had a brilliant legal mind and a passion for the law to deliver a fair and right verdict based on objective thinking and that no one is above the law. A statue of Justice Mahon should be erected to remind us all that there are Judges who do the right thing without fear or favour.

I had read the attachment. It is a shame that all judges were not taught to use common sense and logic rather than try to show how clever they are like legal academics who would write two pages defining the meaning of a word.

Math and formal logic should be a prerequisite to becoming a lawyer of a senior police officer investigating crime.

]]>By: Tauhei Nottshttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146306
Wed, 22 May 2013 22:18:37 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146306Ross69 has been vilified with his posts on this subject.
But the attachment to his 7.48 p.m. post is what helps make Kiwiblog the best place on the net.
I come here to learn, and also be entertained by Nasska’s jokes. Ross69 helps me learn.
]]>By: Chuck Birdhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146233
Wed, 22 May 2013 21:26:20 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146233Flipper, your answer indicates you may be.
]]>By: flipperhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146226
Wed, 22 May 2013 21:20:43 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146226Chuck…
Do I need to practice law?
]]>By: Chuck Birdhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146213
Wed, 22 May 2013 21:06:42 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146213flipper, are you a lawyer?
]]>By: flipperhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146211
Wed, 22 May 2013 21:03:50 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146211I never had contact with Chambers or his work.
But reading most of the comments above it is clear that he was a giant of the New Zealand fraternity, taken in his prime.
My sympathy is with his family, and his friends.

Like or not, Judges are human. Humans (as do computers if the input is garbled or false) make mistakes. Often, and we have quite a few recent examples, it is the policing/legal/judicial complex that gets it wrong (or conspired, with deliberate malice), that traps them, and leads otherwise well qualified and intentioned Judges down the wrong side of the road, so to speak.

But while there may be the odd judicial error (usually correctable, and I am not referring here to Chambers), I simply cannot understand why trolls like Ross69 emerge at times like this.

]]>By: lazzahttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146183
Wed, 22 May 2013 20:17:35 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146183Yes He was a warm, friendly, brilliant human guy. I worked with Robert pro bono (and with Justice Baragwanath) on a claim fors hareholders defrauded by crooks inthe 87 crash. He gave his time and skills freely and without favour. My condolences to his wife and extended family.
]]>By: Chuck Birdhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146181
Wed, 22 May 2013 20:15:57 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146181“Every judge … and I mean EVERY judge … gets something wrong at some point in her or his life.”

If that is right we are we forced to treat judges as some type of deity.

So, it appears this intellectual giant caused a mistrial because he defined stupor in a way peculiar to himself. The accused was subsequently convicted of stupefying at his retrial.

Every judge … and I mean EVERY judge … gets something wrong at some point in her or his life. But when marking their passing from this mortal realm, it is customary to remember them for their better qualities and join with those who loved them in mourning their passing.*

So, can’t we agree that Robert Chambers, like all of us, made errors as well as did good … but who on the whole, taken in the round, examined over its whole course, lived a life and made a contribution that is worthy of our marking respect and pausing to remember?

*Exceptions may be made for monsters – there should be no tears (fake or otherwise) to be shed for the passing of Hitler, etc.

]]>By: Chuck Birdhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146163
Wed, 22 May 2013 19:46:40 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146163It is fair enough that Justice Chambers gets credit for his written decisions. It is a shame that all judges are not required to put their directions in writing I really resent that my taxes go to pay lazy judges that cannot be bothered putting their directions in writing. Some of these judges are on well over $400k and are unaccountable.

I think the majority of judges are good like the police. However, justice should be seen to be done without favour. It certainly is in my experience that there are some bad judges who may well favour someone they know and they do not have to declare a conflict of interest.

“At the earlier trial Justice Robert Chambers told the jury to acquit [Philip] Sturm of the stupefying charges, saying none of the complainants was ever in a state of stupor as he defined the term….both Sturm and the Crown appealed to the Court of Appeal.”

So, it appears this intellectual giant caused a mistrial because he defined stupor in a way peculiar to himself. The accused was subsequently convicted of stupefying at his retrial.

Wasn’t Chambers J one of the judges who said, re the appeal by the Urewera Four:

“We are not satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice for this court to hear and determine the proposed appeals. None of the matters raised is, when properly analysed, of general or public importance. Nor do we consider a substantial miscarriage of justice may occur if we do not hear the appeals”.

In other words, there may well have been a miscarriage of justice, but let’s just move on.

Hey fuckwit.

First of all, what a shitty thing to do to piss all over a condolence thread.

Second, Robert Chambers is many times the intellectual giant you’ll ever be, so you should show him some respect.

Third, I suggest you read up on the Supreme Court Act 2003:

13 Criteria for leave to appeal

(1) The Supreme Court must not give leave to appeal to it unless it is satisfied that it is necessary in the interests of justice for the Court to hear and determine the proposed appeal.

(2) It is necessary in the interests of justice for the Supreme Court to hear and determine a proposed appeal if—
(a) the appeal involves a matter of general or public importance; or
(b) a substantial miscarriage of justice may have occurred, or may occur unless the appeal is heard; or
(c) the appeal involves a matter of general commercial significance.

So, your “In other words, there may well have been a miscarriage of justice, but let’s just move on” has been noted, and you’ve been promoted to the lofty heights of “village idiot” – congratulations.

]]>By: smttchttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146126
Wed, 22 May 2013 11:19:17 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146126The only interaction with Robert Chambers in my 25 years of practicing law was in the early 2000s when my firm appointed Queens Counsel from Auckland to appear before him in a complex trademark case. We acted for a small private computer company up against a listed company offering eftpos services. The instinct of my partners and I was that the decision could have gone either way (no doubt the other party’s lawyers thought the same). Chambers J’s decision was a complete victory for our client on all counts and on reading the written judgment I was struck by the depth and quality of his analysis. It far exceeded what you see in the usual written judgments produced by judges of the High Court. Needless to say. there was no appeal.
]]>By: alex Masterleyhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146109
Wed, 22 May 2013 09:38:29 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146109Justice Chambers’ passing is a great loss to the New Zealand legal profession and judiciary.
He will be missed.
Vaya con dios Robert
]]>By: Nostalgia-NZhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146093
Wed, 22 May 2013 09:11:44 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146093Well I admit you’ve had a bad run JB.
Things could change, maybe tomorrow there’ll only be a hurricane through the shearing shed.
]]>By: Johnboyhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146090
Wed, 22 May 2013 09:08:43 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146090We all have our off-days Nosty old chap. 🙂
]]>By: Nostalgia-NZhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146089
Wed, 22 May 2013 09:06:50 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146089I’m fine Johnboy. Just got a little distracted by the comments of one your fellow ‘party liners.’ Trust all his going well, tut tut and all that.
]]>By: Nostalgia-NZhttp://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/05/rip_justice_robert_chambers.html/comment-page-1#comment-1146088
Wed, 22 May 2013 09:03:51 +0000http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/?p=74902#comment-1146088I apologise.

My respects also to the late Roger Chambers, his family and friends, a frontiersman in the Auckland Courts and beyond, a New Zealander, deeply satisfied to search for the truth.